Again. Connor realized it halfway through the first inning. His location was off, his fastball lacked power, and he seemed unable to concentrate. And he was ignoring the signs. They were still playing Tampa and had agreed upon a strategy. They would avoid fastballs in the top of the lineup where the heavy hitters were looking for power, and instead rely on his slider and changeup. But it seemed the time they had spent the previous night discussing the plan and reviewing videotapes was for naught. And he wasn’t surprised when the first two batters immediately scored, and there was a man on third with no outs. Pete came out of the dugout and walked slowly to the mound to have a word with the pitcher. Connor knew there was no way he would take him out this early in the game. He probably thought to settle him down, get him through the inning, and hope by the second he would be in better shape. There wasn’t enough Red Bull in the world to wake up Jimmy. And the manager knew it. As he walked back, shaking his head, his eyes caught Connor’s and he saw the disgust there.
